365 Days of Loki
by Thundering Buck
Summary: In an unfortunate accident following the Avengers, Loki is stuck with the crew for an entire year. This will be the worst year of the Avengers' lives...or will it? Join our favorite heroes (and one villain) on a roller-coaster year full of laughs and action and feels... But mostly laughter!
1. The Beginning: The Surprise Roomate

**Hello, hello, hello! I'm back! Assume, in this case, that the Avengers took place on December 31st. Testing at school isn't even over yet... So I'll be a bit slow. But review and you'll get a Loki-hug!**

_**Loki**_**: I never agreed to that!**

***ignores* Enjoy!**

* * *

_Chapter 1: The Surprise Roommate_

It was a typical Sunday morning for the Avengers. As the day after Loki's valiant, totally unsuccessful invasion, the city bustled with activity; workers ran to repair buildings, reporters shoved microphones in the citizens' faces, and tour buses barreled around, showing people the wreckage. No one knew that it was Thor's brother's fault. Fury claimed it an attack from the infamous Hydra (well, they were infamous to SHIELD). Yet Loki sat in his new cell, his muzzle locked and shackles binding his ankles and wrists.

But the Avengers were perfectly happy. _Most_ of them, at least. Thor was content on setting the record for eating the most Poptarts in one week, Steve was happily at church, enjoying his fans, and Bruce sat in Stark Tower's laboratory, tinkering with little things to take his mind away from the previous day.

Tony, however, was displeased. After being dragged to church with Pepper and Steve, he was forced to sign autographs and take group pictures and explain how _awesome _he was in the battle (that last part he didn't mind). Clint and Natasha were playing truth or dare, and after having to kiss Thor full on the lips (Natasha's dare) and having to propose to Bruce (Clint's dare), the pair was sulking around, taking turns throwing darts at posters of One Direction. But their day was about to get even worse.

* * *

Thor wolfed down another two Poptarts.

"Another!" he cried, throwing the box to the floor, his mouth full of the pastries.

Clint huffed a sigh and tossed three boxes at Thor. The god of thunder caught them with ease, then ripped one open and stuffed the treats down, silver packaging and all.

Natasha launched another dart at Harry's eye. It hit its mark perfectly, which pleased her a little.

Bruce walked through, his nose in a book, and he sat down on the couch by Thor just as Pepper, Steve, and Tony lumbered in. Tony groaned, stepping out of the elevator, his face covered in kisses, looking lime something out of a horror flick. He licked his hands impatiently and rubbed his face, the lipstick vanishing. Then he plopped down beside Bruce.

"Guys," he said, "Fury's coming by. He's got an 'urgent' matter again."

The rest of the Avengers immediately began guessing.

"My brother escaped and his out for revenge," tried Thor, gulping another box down whole.

"We have evil clones?" Natasha mused.

"A second race of insane mutant aliens," Steve said, which, they assumed, meant that he had no clue either.

"A disaster overseas?" That, Tony knew, was totally something Bruce would say.

"Pokémon are real?" Clint grinned.

"No, nope, probably maybe kinda not, no, and why are you so stupid?" said Tony.

"I have a guess," a deep voice said from behind. "Maybe I know."

They turned around. There was Fury, with a pale, terrified, chained figure behind him.

_Loki._

Tony could only guess, though. This green-eyed (weren't Loki's eyes blue?), shivering, bloody person was Loki.

"Brother!" yelped Thor, dropping his Poptarts to run over and squeeze the air out of his little brother's lungs. Loki tried to wheeze oxygen in through his nose, unable to breathe.

Thor suddenly let go, his eyes wide with horror at the blood winding down Loki's legs and nose.

"Yes," Fury said, "he didn't give us the answers we wanted so he made him hallucinate, kicked him in the stomach several times, and one of the agents whipped him. They may or may not have made him insane. Against my will."

Thor shouted colorful words in a different language. "When I see them, I will rip their - "

"The point is," Fury injected, "he's here to stay."

There was silence; you could have heard a pin drop.

"_WHAT?_" Clint yelled, pointing angrily at the shuddering god.

"Yep. You heard me."

"B - b - but..."

"Why him?"

"He's insane!"

"Send him off, I say."

"I can't." Fury's nostrils flared. "Hydra stole the Tesseract" - "IT'S JUST A CUBE!" roared Clint in outrage - "and hacked our systems. We guessed it will take about a year. I'm leaving, now. He's your problem."

Tony dashed to the elevator doors, which where sliding closed wit Fury inside. "Wait, why don't you - "

The doors closed, and Tony ran smack into them. " - reconsider...?"

Fury was right. Loki was their problem now. And he was with them for a year.

This would be a year of torture.


	2. WATERPARK: 1: Vacation in the Winter

_A/N_: Thanks to Guest, Afanficwriterwithaface, Sapphire Roz, alessa-vulturi, and Fabina-Percabeth-4179 for reviewing or anyone else that reviewed (several Guests have reviewed so much, I don't know if you're the same people...)! I JUST got back from my vacation, and as to update schedules...every Friday sounds good to me. I'll explain a bit more of why Loki is staying, and why SHEILD was such a jerk to him. I don't mind if you do art for this story; in fact, I'd love it if you did! Plus, happy update!

As for pairings...official ones only. That means Steve and Bruce won't have anyone, because I don't like making OCs, and Loki...I may or may not already know what to do. *evil laughter* Enjoy! Reviewers get a vacation with the Avengers!

* * *

**"On a river bank **  
**With all my friends **  
**A big old rope tied to a limb **  
**And your a big old wuss **  
**If you don't jump in **  
**The water**

**Yeah, when that summer sun starts to beatin' down **  
**And you don't know what to do **  
**Grab your swimming trunks **  
**Ice up that old igloo **  
**Drive until the map turns blue.****"**

**- Brad Paisley, 'Water'**

* * *

**_WATERPARK_**

_Chapter 1: Vacation in the Winter_

Tony was bored. He had tried to get Loki to talk (to no avail), he had tried to get his Internet to work (fail), and he had tried to defeat JARVIS in a taunt challenge (and lost). Overall, his day could have been better. When Fury called to say that the agents who tortured Loki were in fact HYDRA spies, at least things started to look up. Then Loki finally spoke.

"Are you...are you mad at me?"

A simple, obvious question.

"Meh," said Tony, shrugging as he tinkered with his suit's helmet. "It depends on how you look at it. You trying to force the world to kowtow you, that's not my favorite day. But the fact that you're not acting like an anti-social hermit crab is helping my mood."

Loki tilted his head, his emerald eyes shimmering with curiosity. "What is a _hermit crab_?"

"Never mind. Point is, now you're talking."

"Yes," Loki said, his brow furrowed, "is that odd?"

Tony shook his head, going back to his work. Random thoughts chased each other around in his brain. He asked, "Rudolph, what's up with your innocent act? You're a bit...different."

Loki blinked. "First off, you get hit in the head repeatedly and see how it benefits your flicker of sanity. Secondly, I don't remember anything after agreeing to help Thanos after he tortured me into the idea. He wouldn't let me say anything, or show any signs of pain. And he made sure I used manners."

Tony wanted to laugh about a fierce evil creature insisting on _manners_, but he couldn't somehow. Even when he thought of the time he crashed a car into a pole during his driver's test, nothing happened.

He needed a vacation, back to some fun.

And it hit him.

"Hey, Lokes," he said, turning to Loki with a grin on his face, "have you ever heard of a waterpark?"

* * *

"Loki?" asked Clint, tossing an empty ice cream carton at said god's head. "More snacks?"

"Nooooo," moaned Bruce from the passenger seat, "how can you eat so much?"

Tony turned to smile at his friends, then suddenly swerved, making everyone fly right. And in the Thor's, Clint's, and Loki's case, squashing Natasha.

"Get off, Birdbrain." Her retort was muffled, but Clint obeyed, shrugging Thor off of his shoulder.

Loki snorted indignantly as he shifted to the left, tossing his head to remove the carton. Glaring at Thor, he said, "I am not giving you any more Poptarts. Honestly, I still hate you." The last part was half-hearted.

But when Thor looked at his brother with his blue, kicked puppy eyes, Loki sighed as a box of treats appeared on Thor's lap.

"I'm so sick of this traffic," Tony said glumly.

A horn blared behind them.

With a few profanities and rude gestures on Tony's behalf, they moved a few inches.

Bruce's fingers slowly turned jade.

Clint murmured, "Crap."

A second horn screamed at them.

Bruce roared.

Loki swallowed hard, remembering how Tony's floor tasted. "As Clint said, _crap_."

* * *

Thor dragged Loki into the hotel, pulling a god-sized suitcase with him. Loki had a small bag, only filled with the necessities of survival in this Midgardian torture chamber - ah, he meant place of enjoyment.

"Er, hi," Tony greeted, leaning against the check-in desk.

The young woman sitting on the other side slowly looked up. Then her expression morphed into awe.

"_You're_ Tony Stark," she said, as if she couldn't believe it.

"Yup. The one and only."

"How many rooms?"

"Ah..." Tony counted his friends (or as far as Loki went, _former enemy_). Seven.

"Who's bunking together?" he asked. "I call Bruce," he added hastily.

"I'll take Loki!" grinned Thor. Loki rolled his eyes and whispered, "Objection."

"And if anyone," said Natasha, "I have Clint."

Steve flushed when no one said anything.

"We'll take Cap," Tony decided, smirking.

The group walked off into their rooms, but no one knew how crazy the next day would be. Except for Loki.

Because in his new home, _everything_ would be insane.


	3. WATERPARK: 2: Thrill Ride

_A/N_: Thank you all for reviewing! *throws reviewers into car with the Avengers and Loki* I know it's early, but I'm obsessed with writing this story. The water park is based off of a place my friend told me about, called Wilderness at the Smokies

To address the pairing concern again, on the topic of Loki: no, _definitely_ no yaoi. He's being paired with a female, I promise that much. But kudos to you if you guess correctly.

Secondly, I know Loki seems OCC. But I think I explained it. If you want, I'll PM you to disclose this.

But enough rambling. Enjoy this chapter! (Reviewers get to share an ice cream with their favorite _Avengers_ character! (but if you're a guy you get a free lesson on fighting with your favorite character!))

* * *

**"I like crazy, foolish, stupid  
Party going wild, fist pumping music,  
I might lose it  
Blast to the roof, that how we do'z it, do'z it, do'z it!"**

**- Flo Rida, _Wild Ones_**

* * *

_**WATER PARK**_

_Chapter 2: Thrill Ride_

Loki awoke to Tony's voice.

"Reindeer Games, c'mon, let's _go_!"

"Where?" asked Loki tiredly, half-asleep with his face buried in his pillow.

"To the _water park,_ Dumbo! Get - up!"

The God of Mischief felt a punch to his back and, snarling, sat up. Tony's face was right in front of his own; when he looked to the ajar doorway, the rest of the Avengers were there in swimsuits, holding balls and goggles and other pool toys. Bruce clutched an empty paper bag (which, Loki suspected, was i case he went on a slide or something of that sort), and Steve was peeking over the top of an American flag towel.

He cast a toxic look at Thor. "Brother? You didn't wake me?"

"I felt like you needed some rest," said Thor pitifully, a heartrending shine in his eyes.

"_Don't_," Loki hissed, "look at me like that. And I'm up," he snapped at Tony.

Loki slammed the door in their faces after shoving Tony out, locking the door and quickly changing into malachite swimming trunks (with golden undertones). When he opened the door, he got one response:

"OK," Natasha said, blushing, "are all gods this hot?"

"I'm actually cold in _the middle of this hallway,_" Loki pointed out.

Once they took a quick elevator ride down several floors, they opened the tinted glass doors and stepped into a humid room.

"It's amazing," gasped Tony.

"It's horrific," snorted Loki.

It didn't take long for the team to be dragged (by Tony, as expected) into the churning wave pool. Loki assumed it was rather early, as they were the only ones in the park.

"Oh," Tony said, glancing at Loki's puzzled expression, "I booked the whole place."

"Sweet," Clint chided, plunging Steve's head under the gentle ripples of the pool.

Sputtering, Steve shot up, glaring at Clint. Bruce opened his mouth when the waves picked up.

As the only one in the deepest end, Loki got the blunt of the influx. His head lurched below the rocky surface, holding him down under the thunderous tide.

"_Help_!" he howled, but it came out as a burst of bubbles.

The mighty Loki...who couldn't swim.

_Asgard didn't have disgraces like these!_

He tried to paddle up, but he couldn't. His eyes stung from the chlorine. Then he was gulping fresh air as the rushing water slowed.

"Rudolph?"

"Shut" - he swallowed a mouthful of air - " up, Stark..."

"Are you OK, Brother?"

"You shut up, too, Thor."

"Man, he didn't die."

"Shut up, Clint."

"Loki - "

"ALL OF YOU, JUST _SHUT UP_!"_  
_

Silence, other than the soft rush of the water.

"Let's go on the water slides!" Tony proposed.

The waves turned into tsunamis.

"Oops," Loki said, leaning against a piece of machinery, "is _that_ what this switch does?"

The Avengers' curses were lost under the blitz of the wave pool.

* * *

Tony pushed Loki into a hole in the raft.

"Don't be a wuss, Lokes."

"I'm not a wuss!"

The crew stood at the mouth of a bright orange water slide. It was large, and four people could get in one 'boat' and ride it. Thor, Steve, and Tony were trying to get Loki to join them. But the younger god wasn't really turned on by the flashing lights inside the tunnel and the claps of artificial thunder. Or the ride's name: _The Storm Chaser_.

"Onetwothreego!" shouted Clint, driving the down. The four men were throw into darkness, Clint's evil cackle ringing in their ears.

Loki was going backwards, Thor beside him, Tony and Steve in front of them.

"Drop!" screamed Tony with horror. "STEEP DROP OH GOSH STEEP DROP!"

"You're bluffing, you - " Loki was cut off when he lurched backwards, Thor and Tony shouting like it was doomsday._  
_

Steve had a look of pure terror all over his face as they were whisked into a dome, lights flashing, heavy metal music blaring, fake thunder booming. The raft slid onto the wall; Loki felt like he'd fall out of the thing when something hit them with a _crash._

Clint, Bruce, and Natasha fell into their raft just as theirs' flipped and floated away without them. Natasha withdrew her hands when she realized she was clutching Loki's neck.

Then it all stopped. The darkness remained, but no sound came, just the water.

"Thanks God it's over."

They dropped. This time, it lasted much longer, as if Loki was falling from the Bifrost all over again. Loki choked as Natasha hugged his throat.

Suddenly, light exploded into view. Thor leapt out of the raft, and everyone followed. As they trudged back to their rooms, deeply shaken, Loki started cracking up.

While they put him in a bad mood that day, he never knew Thor and Tony could scream so loud.


	4. WATERPARK: 3: Bucket

_A/N_: I can't stop updating! Thanks, reviewers! You're only fueling my fire (if that's the expression)...which is a good thing! I don't own these characters, but of course I don't. I'd be swimming in money if I did. This is the last part of " WATERPARK."

If you review...you make up your prize. Without further adieu, please enjoy and show support for more!

* * *

**"Party rock is in the house tonight  
Everybody just have a good time (yeah)  
And we gonna make you lose your mind (whoa!)  
Everybody just have a good time!"**

**- _Party Rock Anthem_**

* * *

**_WATERPARK_**

_Chapter 3: Bucket_

"Stark!"

Loki got a groan in response.

_He's been at his hobby of drinking all that stuff..._

"Stark! Wake up you blithering idiot!"

Clint gently shoved Loki aside. Grinning devilishly, he said, "Let a pro show you how to do it."

Then he took a deep breath and put his mouth right near Tony's ear.

"TONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONY!"

"Nooooooooooooooo..."

"TONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONYTONY!"

"Shut up! OK!"

Tony leapt out of bed, glaring at the sniggering men standing over him. It took him a moment to realize that they were in swimwear.

"Who's late now?"

"Shut up, Loki."

"Says the man who can never do just that."

"OH!" laughed Clint, pointing at Tony. "You need some aloe for that _burn_?"

Tony snorted, changed clothes (ridding himself of company and closing the door first, of course), and headed to the water park. The rest of the Avengers were already there. Thor and Loki were getting swimming lessons from Steve, Natasha was riding the _Runaway Canyon_ (a normal, non-terrifying slide), and Clint and Bruce were in the wave pool, which Loki kept looking at venomously.

Tony walked over to a treehouse-like place. It had a large bucket suspended on it, with lots of slides and water guns and traps. He stood directly under the bucket, wondering what it did. Suddenly -

"DING, DING, DING..."

There was a creaking sound, and the bucket began to tip.

"Aw, crap!"

Tony turned to run, but not soon enough.

"WHOOSH!"

The whole indoor park was obscured in mist and water as Tony was drowned by what felt like bullets. The haze subsided, revealing a sopping wet Tony.

Loki was the first to bust out laughing.

* * *

That night, the team rested, planning to go home in the morning. But there was one thing Bruce still wanted to do.

Loki sat very stiff as they drifted along slowly in rafts, silence in the air.

Finally, he exploded, "This is _puerile_!"

"Yeah," Clint said, "this is boring."

Bruce looked hurt.

"Let's tell scary stories!" Tony decided as their rafts floated side by side. "I bet Thor's will be the scariest."

Thor told them about the time he and Loki were taken prisoner by a creepy Asgardian. Thor escaped, but he had to save Loki.

"When we found him," finished Thor, "he was critically injured and malnourished."

"And you _wonder _why he hates that place?" asked Clint in exasperation.

Tony looked shaken, as did Steve.

"Well, that was nothing compared to this." Loki cleared his throat. "One day in Asgard, _everything_ seemed right...the birds were singing, the sky was blue...but it was _all_ about to take a turn..."

Loki explained the story of how he had survived Thanos.

"So _that's_ why you tried to take over the world...," Bruce said.

"Yes, basically."

They all exchanged stories, but Loki got bored. He waved his hand and suddenly began to giggle. Then he erupted into chaotic laughter.

"Wat?" asked Tony. "If somefing wron?"

He didn't notice that he and the other Avengers were the derpy squids of Minecraft.


	5. 4: Date Night (PAIRINGS REVEALED!)

_A/N_: Congrats and thank you to the twenty-fifth reviewer, _guestgirl_! I'll finally reveal the Loki pairing here! WARNING: This chapter is a sea of feels and cliché happiness. It's more cute than funny. Guys, you might not like this (no, men/boys is what I mean), so I'll put up a new part as soon as I can...'cause I can just SEE the first flames rolling in.

Enjoy, and reviewers get a party with the Avengers (and invite anyone you'd like)!

* * *

**"And I've lost who I am, and I can't understand.  
Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love, without, love gone wrong, lifeless words carry on.  
But I know, all I know, is that the end's beginning.  
Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart.  
Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent.  
All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain.  
All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over.  
There's a light, there's the sun, taking all shattered ones. **"

**- Trading Yesterday, S_hattered_**

* * *

_Chapter 5: Date Night_

To celebrate, on the night of their return, Tony proposed to have a date night. Everyone was excited. Well, _almost _everyone.

Steve wasn't. The whole ordeal reminded him of Peggy.

Bruce wasn't. It reminded him that he had no one.

And Loki wasn't just not excited. He _hated _the whole principle of it. It just made him remember no one loved a monster.

Tony was, of course, bringing Pepper with him (but she had some work to do around the Tower, so it didn't matter). Thor had asked Jane over the phone and made arrangements to pick her up that night. And Clint had come out of the blue and asked Natasha, and, even more surprising, she had accepted.

Apparently, the couples and the loners would be in separate rooms. But that was fine by Loki.

_Why don't they just have an _entire room _for monsters? _

_"He kept the truth from you so you would never feel different."_

_What good did that do Odin? Lying to me? Letting me be second best?_

Loki exhaled heavily, shaking his head and gripping the balcony's handrail until his knuckles turned white. He didn't care if no one loved him...or did he?

_"So I'm no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me?"_

_"You give up this pointless dream!"_

_"Like a king."_

_"TELL ME!"_

_"I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness."_

_"I'm not your brother. I never was."_

_"No matter how much you claimed to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"_

And Loki lost the battle between his emotions and his wits.

* * *

Thor watched his brother from behind, Loki's shape bathed in sunset glow as his shoulders shuddered.

Then suddenly the younger god froze.

"I know you're there, you oaf."

That came out of Loki's mouth, but it hardly sounded like Loki; not monarchial and canny, but infirm and dismal. It sounded defeated. Lost. Alone.

Skeptical, even.

Thor slowly walked to his adoptive sibling and put a caring arm around Loki's seemingly delicate shoulders, but Loki easily wrenched out of his grip. The God of Mischief had always been stronger than he looked.

"Loki, my brother - "

"I'm not your brother." Lowering his head, his chin touching his chest, he added, "I never was."

"I know you are troubled," Thor continued, as if Loki had said nothing, "but I cannot help until you tell me what those troubles are."

Loki paused, staring out into the traffic. He started to think of how easy it'd be, but just the idea of that made him break out in sobs.

"Mother and Father never loved me, the Avengers hate me, two realms want me put to death! ...Why does no one care about me?"

Thor was shocked. "Why would you... Oh, Loki, Loki, Loki..."

He cupped Loki's chin in his hand, forcing the trickster's tear-stricken emerald eyes to stare into his own. "Always," he said warmly. "I have and will always love you, Brother."

An idea hit Thor. Maybe it would help Loki.

"I'll be back as soon as possible, Loki. Deal?"

The dark prince paused a moment. He said tonelessly, "Deal."

* * *

Loki was still standing there on the cold balcony, the wind ruffling his hair and making the tail of his coat dance and play with the air. He kept glancing from the starry sky to the glass door, which, he thought, was likely to break from the beat of the music. Thor wasn't back; that set him off. He had just turned back to the twilight sky when he heard a voice he thought he'd never hear again.

"Loki?"

He bit his lip.

_No. This is a dream, Loki. Like the ones you always used to have, _he told himself.

But he decided to take chances, and so he spun around carefully. And his breath was taken away.

There stood Sif, her smile bright enough to light up the dark side of his existence, her golden dress with silver accents shining so beautifully in the starlight Loki thought he would collapse of joy on the spot. Her amber eyes made his heart skip a beat.

He realized all to quickly why she was here, and regret and jealousy flared up inside of him. "What," he said, his tone vulgar, "is Thor double dating now?" He laughed sullenly.

Sif furrowed her brow. That sharp reply was from the left field; before Thor's crowning (that was ruined) she would have gotten a laud and something meek, kind. Her Loki was always so quiet. "No," she said with a frown. "I came because I heard it was a _date_ night...I have never been on one with you."

"_Me_?"

"Of course."

When they sat there for a moment, Sif swatted Loki in the face. Loki's head snapped to the left and he was still, spots accumulating before his eyes. He looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Are you forgetting something?"

"No, I do not think so - "

_WHACK_!

"What in Odin's beard are you doing?"

"What is this night about, Loki?"

"Er...dating?"

_WALLOP_!

"Dancing?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, ah...," Loki blushed, his right cheek going as red as his left one. "Would you like to dance, my lady?" He offered his hand carefully.

Sif took his hand and caressed his smarting cheek. "Always, my prince."

_"Always, Loki."_

Loki ignored the rock music inside and waved his hand. They couldn't hear it anymore; to them and to them only, it sounded like a slow dance.

And Loki didn't know about Sif, but he wanted to stay out in the moonlight with her forever and always.

_Always._


	6. 5: Pocket Monsters

_A/N_: Hey, everybody. I didn't update because of some goings-on. My great-uncle died, my friend's friend died, I had to go to the fireworks for the Fourth (happy belated Fourth, by the way), and I got a shot today (and lost all feeling in my leg). SOOOO, that's that. I didn't add this section to send you on a trip to guilt mountain. Oh, and I was going to post a Fourth of July one-shot special...did not happen in time. And if you loved the Sifki from last chapter, see more by a great Youtuber: watch?v=pFbv3ZevBMM

Oh, I don't own MARVEL. Sucks, doesn't it? The enclosed chapter is short, but I'll update quickly.

But please enjoy and review! Reviewers get cake and ice cream and a free copy of whatever-movie-you-want!

* * *

**"Every challenge along the way**

**With courage I will face**  
**I will battle every day**  
**To claim my rightful place**

**Come with me, the time is right**  
**There's no better team**  
**Arm in arm we'll win the fight**  
**It's always been our dream**

**Pokémon!"**

**- Pokémon**

* * *

_Chapter 5: Pocket Monsters_

"I'm telling ya, Lokes, you should try this game."

"I...would rather _not_."

Tony steered Loki into the 'GAME' room after lunch. The billionaire figured Loki needed a pick-me-up; the guy was depressed over Sif's departure around one in the morning.

"Brother!"

All of the air in Loki's lung rushed out as Thor crushed his ribs in a bear hug. The younger prince gave a dry cough and muttered through Thor's shoulder. With a depressed look, Thor dropped Loki to the floor in a heap.

"Ow," the lup of green cloth and gold armor grumbled.

Tony shoved a Nintendo DS XL into Loki's hands, who looked at it curiously as a black dragon with bright crimson eyes appeared on the screen.

"_Pokémon SoulSilver Version_...," he read off, pressing the start button.

Tony made sure everyone was accounted for, and they were: each of the Avengers were seated on a beanbag. Thor patted a neon green cushion beside of his own vibrant red one, and Loki heaved a sigh and sat down on it. He shifted in it, glancing nervously at Steve, who rested on a light blue beanbag next to him.

"GOSHDANGSTUPIDPIECEOFCRAP!" Clint exploded as his Charmander gave a pitiful cry and fainted.

Natasha laughed as her Snivy defeated a Patrat in her _Black_ version. Bruce concentrated on knocking out his rival's Treecko with his own Mudkip in his _Emerald_. Thor's avatar ran in circles, his Pikachu right behind him in _Yellow_. Steve tried to focus his eyes to his _Pokémon Green_'s graphics as he sent his Bulbasaur into battle. Tony fistpumped upon capturing a Lillipup to add onto his team (which was a Tepig only) in_ Pokémon White_.

Loki furrowed his brow. Totodile, Cyndaquil, or Chikorita?

He picked one and smiled to himself.

"Ooh, a Cyndaquil. Nice 'ne, buddy!" Tony giggled.

Loki hastily shoved Tony's face away from his DS.

"Hey, man, I was just trying to tell you to come on!" Tony said cheerfully, picking Loki up as if he weighed nothing. "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE...IN THE CAAAR!"


	7. 6: Shock Tactics

_A/N_: Yay, I'm back! I made an error last chapter only hardcore Pokémon fans could notice. I described Pokémon White's title screen but identified it as Pokémon SoulSilver. I'm sorry, I was in a hurry that day! And to answer a question I got...can you specify it a bit more? Sorry, I just couldn't really understand that.

And I'm sorry this is late, I lost track of time and completely forgot about this. And I still have to update another story.

Anyway, here's the chapter!

I don't own MARVEL or any characters or places and such. I won't post lyrics anymore for fear of plagiarism (even though I'm technically crediting the singer, I'm nervous like that).

* * *

_Chapter 6: Shock Tactics_

"What did ya think of that, Blitzen?"

Loki shrugged off Tony's question, giving him a "whatever" look. Tony had taken to calling Loki Blitzen and Thor Donder, which, according to Bruce, meant lightning and thunder respectively. Plus, they fit Loki's title 'Reindeer Games,' so Tony decided it was perfect.

"I agree," Steve said, shuddering, "my carrot cake had, like...zero carrots in it."

Natasha frowned. "My red velvet tasted like velvet."

"My—"

"OK, OK!" Tony snapped, cutting Thor off. "Fancy bakeries don't always taste good."

Clint looked up at the darkening sky. "Uh...guys... Problem."

Slowly, everyone turned to look where Clint was pointing. A tall building was reduced to rubble under a large, scaly foot. Eight heads stood out in front of the clouds and hissed with fury. Loki's eyes went wide; Thor gripped Mjölnir, which had flown to him with a clap of thunder; Natasha and Clint stepped back and glared up at the creature; Tony swore and used his phone to ask Jarvis to send his suit over; and Bruce and Steve stepped in front of Loki, who pouted that he wasn't a child.

"Loki, if you die, then the plan's ruined," Steve said shortly.

"Plan? What plan are you—"

Loki jumped away with the rest of the Avengers as a blast of fire hit the wall behind him.

Tony blinked up at the monster, deciding it was a Hydra. _HYDRA has to have a Hydra. Because, logic! _"OK, Thor, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, you guys stay here and fight this bad boy off. Loki, you come with me and Steve as a bodyguard while we get our gear. We can grab Clint's bow. Everybody on board?"

Everyone nodded, Loki more confidently than Thor.

Tony grinned. "Let's do it," he said. "C'mon, Blitzen! Donder can handle this."

Thor told Loki farewell quietly as the three departed. Natasha held her gun up, sighing.

"What're we waiting for?"

* * *

Loki was glad the Avengers had taken off the muzzle on the first day. Otherwise, well, he wouldn't have any defense other than the small dagger he always kept hidden in his cloak. The fire rushing towards his face exploded into fireworks that read: "Missed me, fool!"

"Nice one, Loki!" Tony yelled to his right.

Loki had seen a car and enchanted it to fly ("Just like Harry Potter!" Tony had said), so they were speeding to the tower. The Hydra had followed them, it seemed, until they realised there were two of them.

Loki shot a spell that bound the Hydra's mouths shut and touched down loudly on the roof of Stark Tower. Tony bolted inside with Steve behind him.

"I've got it!" Loki called after them.

He jumped into the air, levitating so he could see the Hydra. It's jaws were still clamped shut, and he narrowly avoided its enormous claws. A tail as thick as five buses parked side-by-side swung at his stomach. Loki vaulted sideways, almost losing his balance and tumbling into the traffic of the street one hundred feet below. Everyone was evacuating, trying to find somewhere safe.

Loki felt a burning desire to help them. _What's become of me? _he asked himself. _I'm a monster, that's...that's what my purpose is, right?_

He ducked between the Hydra's talons, still feeling feverish. _I should help. I can get them out. Redeem myself. _

_Or I could kill them all, the ants—_

_No! Why do the Avengers trust me? Why do they let me stay?_

_Is this all a dream? It can't be, can it?_

Pain spiked through his nerves as the sharp tip of one claw sliced into his arm. He felt dizzy as he saw blood turn his green sleeve crimson.

_Not a dream! _he decided. Instinct kicked in, and he knew he had to save these people below him. It was the right thing to do, even though he was still puzzled about why everything seemed so perfect; the Avengers trusting him, being his friends, everything.

_No time for that._

Without really thinking the plan through, he dove for the busy street below.


End file.
